


Til Death

by DisneyPrincess



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: But it gets better I swear, Character Death, F/M, Gun Violence, Hate to Love, Shooting, Slow Burn, Starts out dark, hitman - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:27:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23817640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisneyPrincess/pseuds/DisneyPrincess
Summary: Klaus Mikaelson heads a powerful and dangerous criminal organization. His priority is to become the most feared man in the world.Caroline wants nothing to do with Klaus when she's caught in his cross hairs, but things get complicated, fast.
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore
Comments: 15
Kudos: 42





	1. Origin

Klaus blinked hard. 

His vision was beginning to blur. He had been staring at the numbers on those damn papers for so long that he could barely see straight. He sometimes missed the days when all he had to do was pull triggers. But with the growth they'd seen in the last year, there was no helping it, Klaus needed to run things behind the scenes. He simply couldn't be out in the field as much as he wanted anymore. 

A knock at the door pulled him from his work and Klaus glanced up as his older brother strolled in. Elijah looked as he always did, wearing both a crisp suit and a bored expression. He took a seat across from Klaus and glanced over at him from across the desk. "Do you intend to spend the night in your office, Niklaus?" He asked, crossing his legs. 

"I don't see much choice. If my plans are to succeed, I have to review everything." He returned his gaze to the papers, sifting through them faster than before. There was so much he had yet to accomplish. He would no doubt succeed, especially with his siblings beside him. But Klaus had never been one to leave things up to chance. 

"Perhaps you could take the evening off. I got word today, they found him." At Elijah's words, Klaus's head snapped up. 

"Are you certain?" He pushed his papers to the side, analyzing his brother's facial features. This could be it. 

"Quite." He confirmed it and Klaus's heart stopped beating for a moment. Finally. "We leave in an hour." 

Klaus and his brother stood, an emotion passing between them that could not be expressed with words. They had been waiting, working for towards this day for so long. And it was finally here. And tonight, though Klaus had not filled the role in some time, he would once again be the man to pull the trigger. 

5 years ago, it had begun. Kol had been out with some friends of his at a bar downtown. Klaus had no doubt that his baby brother had been difficult that night. Kol might have even started the fight in the bar. But the man he'd been fighting with had ended it. A knife in Kol's chest had effectively ended his life. The man who killed their brother fled the scene quickly and had been on the run ever since. It had taken 5 long years but Klaus and Elijah had finally been able to track the bastard down. And now they were going to get to make him pay. 

Klaus was going to kill the man who killed his brother. 

\-----

Caroline and Tyler strolled down the busy street, both looking for the perfect store. They weren't sure exactly what the perfect store would be, but they were hoping that they would know it when they saw it. After all, how hard could it be to find the perfect wedding gift. And if they got something nice enough, they could go in on it together. That would be one less thing to worry about. 

"Okay so there's a nice liquor store right up here, maybe we can find an old bottle for Damon. Does he drink whiskey or scotch? I can't remember," Tyler trailed off. Caroline perked up in surprise. The day had been fruitless so far, but that was actually a great idea. She couldn't remember either though. She would have to double check. She was not one to give the wrong gift, and everything about the wedding had to be perfect. That was what she'd signed up for when Elena asked her to be the maid of honor. 

"That's a great idea!" Caroline bumped his shoulder with a grin. "Let's go in and look. I'll call Stefan now and ask." She reached into her purse to grab her phone and began searching for his contact. 

"Ok, meet me in there." Caroline nodded at Tyler as he headed in. 

She found Stefan's number and dialed, listening to the ring as she watched people shuffle by the busy strip. Caroline was shocked at how many people there were so late at night. It was almost ten. A mother dragged a crying little girl by, refusing to buy her more icecream. A couple of teenagers on skateboards rolled past, narrowly avoiding Caroline and several others. She was so lost in observing her surroundings that she almost missed the man that passed right by her into the liquor shop. 

There was nothing outwardly special about him. He was wearing dark jeans, a black jacket and a baseball cap pulled low. His attire screamed average. But as he passed by, their eyes met and she knew there was more under the surface. His sharp features and blue eyes were striking. His gaze broke away as he stepped inside and Caroline was pulled back to reality by the sound of Stefan's voicemail. 

With a frustrated sigh, she hung up her phone and slipped it back into her purse. She didn't know what had come over her just a moment ago, but she shook it off and stepped inside the store as well. She would just have to tell Tyler they would wait on the bottle. As soon as Stefan got back to her they would find something. 

Inside, the store was massive. rows and rows of aisles, all filled with different types and brands of liquor. She had no idea where her friend had scurried off to, but before she could take another step, a gunshot rang out. Caroline froze at the sound of it. She'd never heard a gun go off before but somehow she knew that that was what she was hearing. there were three more shots, then silence as panic broke out in the store. Shoppers dropped everything and began sprinting for the exits, pushing past each other in a frenzy. Caroline felt her adrenaline shoot as panic began to grip her as well. 

Where was Tyler? She began to take a step towards the aisles, a move she knew would be idiotic, but the crowd was already taking her. There were too many people to fight it, and before she knew it, Caroline was carried out the front door and back into the street. She watched as terrified shoppers sprinted to their cars, but she felt cemented to the pavement. Where was Tyler. 

She searched the faces as they evacuated but she didn't see him. She didn't see him anywhere. The crowd began to thin as the store emptied and still nothing. Caroline, so focused on her friend, barely registered as the man in black, who's striking features had stopped her before, slipped out. He disappeared into the crowd, as police sirens became audible in the distance. 

\-----

It was an hour before she knew what happened. Caroline had stayed rooted to that spot on the sidewalk as the police rushed in. She watched EMT's bring in stretchers. She saw news vans pull up and begin setting up to record the evening news. And all the while she felt that paralyzing fear that something awful had happened to her friend. 

She and Tyler had grown up together in Mystic Falls, they'd been friends since grade school. Now adults, fresh out of college, they were still as close as they'd ever been. Caroline couldn't imagine him not being there for Friday movie nights with everyone, or not being able to lose to him at pool anymore. It just couldn't be. But he hadn't walked out. She had texted and called him frantically but there was no answer. 

After an hour, they rolled out two stretchers. The first body, she knew he was no longer alive from the sheet that covered him, appeared to be a man, but he was to short to be Tyler. She could tell instantly. Perhaps the shooter. She couldn't know. When they rolled out the second stretcher though, a body also covered by a white sheet, Caroline lost it. She knew it was him. She could tell from the his height and build that the man being rolled into that ambulance was her best friend. 

Caroline's eyes filled with water and her lungs seemed to stop working. She couldn't breathe. She tried to inhale slowly, calmly, like her mother had showed her, but the panic wouldn't ebb. Her chest was tightening up and it felt like she was dying too. It should have been her under that sheet, not him. She couldn't breathe. 

Then everything went black. 

\-----

Klaus pulled off his baseball cap and scowled at it before tossing it to the back seat. Elijah pulled the car onto the highway. He was going fast, but the man was meticulous: never more than 5 miles over the speed limit. He tried to never draw attention to them, always taking care of Klaus, and though Klaus didn't often say it aloud, he was grateful for his brother. 

"That didn't go as I'd planned, but it's done." Elijah's face showed a hint of the faintest smile and Klaus couldn't help but match it. After 5 years of planning and searching, they had finally gotten their vengeance. Kol's killer had been brought to justice. Klaus just wished he hadn't gotten distracted. He didn't usually make mistakes in the field but that woman had thrown him off. Blue eyes, blonde hair, impossibly pale skin. 

"I'm glad. We can finally put this to rest." Klaus nodded to his brother, letting his eyes slip closed. Yes, it was finally done. 

"Rebekah will be happy this is finally over, too. Now we can focus on making sure no one ever dares try something like this again," Klaus added, fingers tapping his leg absent mindedly. Those blue eyes...

"Our name has taken on new meaning since then, brother. No one would be so foolish today." Klaus only nodded at Elijah's words. 

Elijah was sure of himself, sure of their family, but Klaus was doubtful. He could never be sure that they were completely safe until he got rid of all their enemies. It would be some time before He and Elijah and Rebekah could truly be at ease. Klaus began thinking about their next move, deciding would be be the next threat to be neutralized. But his mind kept drifting to those eyes. 

Dammit. 

\-----

Caroline woke up in a hospital bed, surrounding by people who looked as awful as she knew she had to look in that moment. She was tired, and her head hurt, and she wasn't sure what had landed her in that bed. But as soon as her memories returned, Caroline nearly doubled over. She felt sick at the realization of what she had lost. Bonnie and Elena rushed to her side, both red eyed and paler than she'd ever seen them. 

"Caroline, we were so worried."

"How do you feel?" 

But she had no idea how to respond to that. She felt like they did, that they had just lost one of their best friends in a senseless tragedy and there was nothing they could do about it. "I honestly don't know," she said, her voice cracking. Elena and Bonnie seemed to understand that at least. Her best friends wrapped her up in their arms, and she tried to find comfort in the embrace. 

"We just cant believe it," Elena sobbed into her hair. She couldn't either believe it either. Caroline offered a tired smile over her friend's shoulders to Damon and Stefan who hung back. She could see it, they thought they had to be strong. Mourning a friend was hard, but she couldn't imagine what it was like, feeling like they couldn't cry too.

Caroline pulled away from her friends, the three of them wiping their eyes. "I'm glad you guys came, but why am I here? The last thing I remember is..." but she trailed off. She didn't want to put to words, that last memory. They seemed to understand that. 

"The doctor said you passed out and hit your head. They brought you in too. Your mom is was on a call but she should be here any minute," Elena explained. 

"The police wont tell us anything. Tyler's mom called us as soon as they told her the news but they aren't releasing details yet. Do you know what happened?" 

Caroline looked down at her hands and tried to answer Bonnie as honestly as she could. She didn't want to relive it or go back to that place in her mind, but she promised herself she would lock it away after this last time. "We were shopping," she left out for what, not wanting to tie this day to what she hoped would be a happy occasion in the future. "Ty...He went inside," Caroline explained, finding it difficult to even say his name. "We were going to see what they had but I had to make a call, so he went in without me. It was only a minute, maybe less, then I went in. I didn't see anything, but I heard a gunshot. Then people were running out, they pushed me with them, and before I knew it I was outside, and it was over." Caroline looked up with tears running down her face. Everyone in the tiny hospital room seemed to be in the same condition. 

"It's going to be okay," Elena said, grabbing both of their hands. "It has to be okay."

Caroline didn't believe her. 

\-----

She had never been to a funeral before. She'd lost loved ones, of course, but she'd been young, too young to attend one of these morbid affairs. Now at 25, Caroline still felt to young to be there. She was too young to be burying a friend. Too young to be wearing that black dress. Too young to be holding that rose in her hand. 

Her mother stood by her for the entire service. Caroline appreciated, but she knew her mother needed her there as much as she needed her mom. When Caroline's mother had sprinted into the hospital room the previous week, she had been shell shocked. Maybe seeing her friend lose a son had placed a kernel of fear in her that hadn't been there before. She checked Caroline over three separate times, and wouldn't let go of her hand until she was discharged. Caroline must have told her a million times that she was just fine but it was no use. And now as they lowered Tyler Lockwood's body into the ground, she could see her mother drawing comparisons in her own mind. Caroline squeezed her hand and felt a squeeze in return. 

Before the casket would be covered up, a few family members stepped forward to drop flowers into the hole. Friends went next. Caroline waited until everyone had gone before she stepped forward. She looked down at the casket, now covered in sad, colorful flowers. If she hadn't already cried her weight in tears, she might cried again at the sight of it. 

"I'm so sorry Tyler," She told him. She wasn't sure if he could hear her wherever he was but god she hoped he could. She needed to say goodbye. "I'm sorry this happened. You're my best friend, and I don't know what I'm going to do without you, but I promise not a day will go by that I wont think of you. Or that stupid grin you would make after making fun of me. I'll miss you more than you could know, but I hope you find peace. I love you." 

She tossed the flower into his grave and turned before she could see it land. She just needed to get out of there. Walking quickly between headstones, Caroline met her mother at their car. She saw Elena and Bonnie earlier, but she felt too tired to be with them. She needed to go home and have some time for herself. 

"Ready?" her mom asked as she pulled out of the parking lot. 

"As I'll ever be."


	2. Just Thinking Bout you

6 months passed slower than anyone thought possible, but they got through it, together. She, Bonnie and Elena were able to lean on each other and pick up the pieces. Now with the wedding this weekend, Caroline felt like things were finally becoming normal. At least, they were settling into a new normal.

Caroline watched from her place curled up on the couch as Elena tried on her gown one last time. It was absolutely gorgeous. The gown was entirely made of lace, form fitting all the way down. Delicate little straps held it in place, and she showed just the tiniest bit of cleavage. Caroline could see in Elena's face how in love with the dress she was. It was a shame her friend would only get to wear it once. 

"It looks perfect," Bonnie said from beside Caroline. "He's going to lose it when he sees you." 

"He'd better cry or he's sleeping on the couch tomorrow night," Elena joked, peeking over her shoulder. 

Caroline giggled and took another sip of her champagne. "He can be so emotional, he'll probably be crying before you even come out."

"And once he starts, Stefan will start," Bonnie added, rolling her eyes. 

"It's sweet how close they are. Remember when they hated each other? It used to drive me up the wall." Elena lifted up her hair and and Bonnie stood to begin unbuttoning the delicate back of her dress so she could step out. Caroline felt warm, thinking about how far they'd come. Elena had postponed the wedding after everything, but now, everyone had reached a place where they could be excited. Caroline was happy for them. It made her wish she had someone who loved her like that too. 

"I think we're all relieved that's over," Bonnie agreed. She held the dress for Elena to step out, and hung it back in its dress bag. It would stay there on the closet door until tomorrow morning. Elena would pack it up with the rest of her things, drive to the venue, and get married. It just seemed so alien and strange in Caroline's mind. 

"Does it feel as weird to you as it does to me? You're going to be someone's wife tomorrow." Caroline scrunched her nose softly at the thought. Elena didn't seemed to match her sentiment at all though. 

"No way, I'm just so excited. It feel's like I've been waiting my whole life to be Damon's wife." She pulled a sweater over her strapless bra and sat with the two of them on the couch. "Its finally happening." Elena got this far off look in her eyes that was happening more and more often. 

Caroline met Bonnie's gaze and they both shrugged. She was a woman possessed by love. What could you do.

\-----

Klaus had been a man possessed. 

For the last 6 months, no matter what or who he'd done, he couldn't get that woman out of his head. He didn't understand it. He'd only seen her for a moment, he had no idea why he'd even been so drawn to her. And yet, her image was seared into his mind. He saw her eyes in the morning, and her pale skin at night. He wondered what she was doing and if she was seeing someone. He had no feasible way of finding her, he knew that, so he just wished he could forget. 

visions of her had begun to affect his work. He and Elijah decided, and by that he meant mostly him, that the largest threat to their organization was that of an up and coming rival. There was a man, known by most only as Silas, who ran an underground trafficking operation. Klaus didn't deal in that type of business so it wasn't about any sort of direct competition, but the group was drawing unnecessary attention to crime in the city, and that did not bode well. Klaus hoped to destroy the operation and remove the spotlight from his city, so that he might continue to be a successful supplier of to the wealthy. He procured hit men, drugs, weapons, and whatever else his clients desired. It was an incredibly lucrative business.

But lately, it had been difficult to concentrate, and things had been slipping through the cracks. He would wire money to the wrong client, or mix up accounts. He was usually so meticulous, Elijah was starting to notice. Klaus had to do something before he made A serious mistake. 

What he likely needed was a change of pace. Maybe if he took a day off, went some where new, he could finally break free of this enchantment. Klaus was sure that was the only thing to do. So without another thought, he cleared his schedule for that Saturday and made plans to explore the Japanese gardens just outside the city. The park was supposed to be beautiful but he had yet to go because he'd been so busy with business. Well now he would go. 

He would put that woman from his mind if it was the last thing he did. 

\-----

"Caroline come on! You know this is my favorite song!" Bonnie called from the dance floor. 

Caroline rolled her eyes and hurried back onto the dance floor where she bounced and swung her hair around. Was it Backstreet Boys or Nsync that was playing? She could never tell the two apart. But it did make for dramatic serenading on the dance floor and that was all they really needed. Bonnie was most definitely trashed and Caroline was beginning to feel that last glass of wine. Caroline spied Elena across the dance floor, shimmying over to Damon. She laughed at the pair of them, glad the everything had worked out. 

The wedding had nearly been a disaster. 

Elena had been ready to walk down the aisle. Her dress looked incredible, Caroline and Bonnie had just draped her veil down her back, the bridesmaids and groomsmen were lined up and ready to go, but there was no groom. Caroline anxiously peeked outside their hall door to the gardens outside where a gazebo and chairs had been set up for the ceremony. The plan had been to begin playing the wedding march at exactly 4 pm, but now it was 4:15 and Damon had not yet reached his place at altar. 

"Where the hell is he? I'm going to kill him," Elena muttered, fighting tears. She couldn’t imagine how Elena was feeling.

Caroline rubbed circles into her back and tried to think of a way to help this situation. Bonnie was outside calling Stefan, who also wasn't picking up. "I'm sure he'll be here any minute," Caroline reassured her, hoping her voice didn't give her away. How could Damon leave the love of his life at the altar?

Alaric, who was supposed to have walked Elena down the aisle by now, appeared and shook his head to the ladies, indicating he had not been able to track down the groom. Elena squeezed her eyes shut tightly and took a deep breath before pushing the doors open and stepping outside. She walked quickly up the aisle much to the surprise of the guests and turned to face her audience at the altar. Caroline held her breath. What in the world was she doing?

"Hello, everyone. I so appreciate each and every one of you coming out to support us today, but I'm sorry to say that we're going to have to call of-" however Elena's words cut off just before she could finish. Caroline followed her gaze to find none other than Damon Salvatore cutting a path through the gardens to their wedding party, wearing jeans and a t shirt. 

"I can explain," he called as he approached his bride to be. Elena took one look at him and stormed past him, down the aisle and back into the Hall where Caroline was watching all of this unfold. 

"Wait Elena!" Damon rushed after her sweat dripping off of him. It looked like he'd run all the way to the gardens from Mystic Falls. It seemed all eyes were on the couple. Elena, looking furious, and Damon looking like a kicked puppy. 

"I know how this looks. I swear I would never have been late to our wedding if I could have avoided it. But Stefan slept through his alarm so he was late waking us, and while we were trying to get ready in a rush this morning, I dropped my tie in the toilet, then my jacket got mud on it. Honestly Elena its been a shit show but I'm here and I'm going to marry you, I just need five more minutes." 

Elena stared him down, taking in his outfit. "And you'll be wearing that?" Damon smiled nervously. 

"Well I have a backup." She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. 

"Fine. You have five minutes then I'm leaving." Ouch. 

Damon took about five seconds to register her words before he took off into the hallway behind them. Stefan followed him into the bathroom with a suit bag on a hanger and they all watched the door nervously. Except Elena. She gave nothing away as she waited for her groom to make his appearance. They were not disappointed. 

Damon reappeared 4 minutes later looking quite smart in a suit. Unfortunately, that suite very obviously belonged to Stefan, who was now sporting baggy jeans and a t shirt. As Damon jogged past his bride to be and took his place up at the altar, everyone seemed to be trying not to laugh. The sleeves and pant legs were noticeably too short. The buttons were straining, the jacket didn't close. It looked absolutely terrible. But all that matters was Elena, and she seemed to be... laughing. Albeit softly, but she was laughing. 

Caroline took this to mean that the wedding was in fact on, so she rangled the bridal party back, waved to the pianist and shot her best friend a thumbs up because this wedding was happening. Damon did cry when Alaric walked Elena down the aisle. They cried more when they read their vows to each other. Although to be fair, it seemed like everyone was crying.

Especially when they finally kissed, underneath a flurry of cheery blossom petals.

The whole thing was so sickeningly romantic she could hardly take it. Which was why she was thrilled that the ceremony immediately transitioned into an early reception right there in the gardens. Caroline was able to have a couple of drinks and dance with her friends for a bit, but the layout was also open enough that she could escape for a bit. So after one last song with Bonnie, Caroline slipped down one of the garden paths, determined to enjoy a couple of minutes in the gardens while there was still sunlight. 

It wasn't that she wasn't having fun, the wedding was a blast. She just found that she needed to recharge her batteries more frequently lately. Especially at large gatherings. And the flowers were so beautiful, it would be criminal not to enjoy them. She strolled down the path taking in all of the unfamiliar plants, until she realized she'd gotten herself a little lost. 

There were forks and turns in the path that had thrown Caroline off without her realizing. No worry, she found a cute little stone bench along the path that overlooked a tiny pond and zen garden. She decided she would take a seat and enjoy the scenery for a moment. Maybe someone would come by and she could ask for some directions. 

\-----

Klaus arrived at the gardens in the early afternoon and he immediately felt that it had been the correct choice, coming to this place. The entrance to the gardens was beautiful; there were massive cherry blossom trees that created a canopy at the entrance, small pink flowers raining down at each slight breeze. A tiny red brick building was nestled beside the entrance, that appeared to be a sushi restaurant. Klaus decided to go in and have a meal before he explored the gardens. 

The interior of the restaurant was striking. Detailed Japanese artwork that seemed to cover every inch of the establishment. There were dragons and samurai warriors and tiny leaves painted on the walls, and even the ceiling. And in the center of the room was a large Japanese rock garden. The pebbles had had been arranged in intricate swirls that Klaus could hardly follow. 

He seated himself, as per a small sign by the door, at a small table in the back corner. It seemed he'd come at a slow time, judging by the lack of customers in the restaurant, and he was helped quite quickly. Klaus had an assortment of sushi that was delicious, and was able to pay the bill and slip out in less than an hour.

Full and content, he entered the gardens, after grabbing a small map. The aerial view of the gardens that was provided by the map showed that they were shaped like a Koi fish. He smiled at the clever layout and began to explore. Not once, well only once, had he thought of the mysterious woman, but he was still counting it as a win. 

The gardens were immediately a lovely distraction. Klaus got caught up in the unfamiliar flowers and decorations. At one point, he walked over a tiny wooden bridge that went over a little stream. It was enchanting. As he walked, he heard music, it seemed like some sort of party was being held, so he headed in the opposite direction. Near the center of the maze like gardens, there was a small bench that was supposed to overlook a pond that represented the eye of the koi fish. As Klaus approached it though, he saw that a woman was already seated on it.

The nearer he got, the more quickly his heart beat. Like a vision sent from god himself, there she sat, the woman who had been tormenting his every thought for the last 6 months. The way the light was hitting her near radiant. Klaus had to remind himself to breathe as he came closer. She was wearing a short blue gown that made her eyes shine. Not that they needed the help. She looked so at peace, the way she was staring off at the pond.Would she remember him? Did he want her to remember him? Well obsessing would do him no good, he needed to act. 

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" He asked, pointing to the spot beside her on the bench. The woman jumped slightly before her eyes landed on him. They were kind, he could tell. She slid over immediately to make room for him and offered a smile. 

"Of course, please sit." He sat quickly and extended a hand. 

"Klaus Mikaelson. A pleasure." She placed her hand in his and he felt sparks. He knew she must have felt them too. She was looking at him in earnest now and it made him almost giddy to have her eyes on him. 

"Caroline Forbes. Nice to me-" Caroline cut off, eyebrows scrunched together for a moment. Then he watched as realization dawned on her. "You were there...when it...when everything...you walked into the liquor store..." she stood abruptly, placing both hands over her mouth and Klaus froze. He needed to fix this. Fuck, how was he going to fix this. "I'm sorry but what are the chances of this," she said turning back to him. "Do you remember seeing me there or am I going crazy?"

"I remember," he admitted. This just seemed to confuse her more and he realized he'd made a mistake. 

"But why don't you look surprised at all to see me?" She asked sitting beside him once more. "I mean this is crazy." She fixed a questioning gaze on him and he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. 

"I recognized you just now, because honestly you made an impression, love. I wanted to know you." He'd hoped his honesty would put her at ease, but she seemed to still be reserved. He could hardly blamer her, he was a strange man claiming to be fascinated by her. If anything her caution warmed her to him more. He knew she was a smart girl. 

"Alright, well maybe I'll see you around Klaus," She said hesitantly, standing to leave. No, he wanted her to stay. 6 months and he'd gotten only a moment with her. But he could see it, she didn't trust him yet. That was fine, she would eventually get there. He returned her small wave and watched her go.

Klaus' phone rang as Caroline disappeared, and he answered without missing a beat. "What is it Elijah."

"I understand you needed a day off, but there's been a development. A number of young women have escaped a house run by Silas. It would seem that this is dominating the news." Klaus felt the tranquility he'd found with Caroline, dissipate. 

Silas was truly going to complicate things. For Mystic Falls to function as a home base for their business, it needed to appear to be a sleepy town with a non existent crime rate. News cycles about traffickers would be no good for him. He needed to shut down Silas as soon as possible. The man would only bring trouble. 

"Have you attempted to make contact with any of the women?" Klaus asked, standing and beginning back down the gravel path. The rest of the gardens would have to wait for another day. 

"I've sent women out now for that very purpose. I'll let you know if we get news." Good. Elijah had a great head for the business. Far better than Rebekah or Kol ever had. He even had the foresight to send women rather than men. 

"Alright, I'm headed there now. "

\---

Klaus sped all the way to their office, already thinking about his next line of action. He parked his Tesla out front and stepped out to find Elijah stepping out the front door of their office building. It was a fairly nondescript brick building on the exterior. Inside, the Mikaelsons used all four floors for their burgeoning business. 

"I have a meeting with a potential buyer, but I'll call if there are updates." Elijah said as Klaus approached. Klaus nodded and continued inside. 

His brother usually handed meeting with the clients in person. Klaus had long ago found that he did not excel in that particular aspect of the business. He was better with numbers and calling the shots. Elijah had told him on a number of occasions his failure stemmed from his temper, and his inability to bargain. But Klaus just lacked the patience to coddle privileged assholes. Even if they did want to give him their money. He waited to catch the elevator up to his office on the fourth floor. 

Once upon a time, the Mikaelsons had been dirt poor. It had been the four of them in a two room apartment, watching their parents struggle to make ends meet. The only reason they were where they were was because Klaus and Elijah, and even Rebekah, had worked for it. So yeah, he definitely lacked the skill when it came to making rich kids cough up their money. 

With a sigh, Klaus strode into his office and took a seat at his desk. He really hadn't wanted to come in but now there were more things on his to do list. He needed to catch up on the news cycles and see what people were saying. He would also need to begin researching the women that had escaped. Any one of them could be a contact for them to begin learning about the inner workings of SIlas' business. 

And yet, for some reason, instead of doing any of those things, Klaus opened a browser on his laptop and typed in a certain blonde woman's name.

\-----

Caroline forced herself to walk away from the strange man, Klaus Mikaelson, slowly. What the hell just happened? She didn't know what to think or feel. When she'd heard his voice, shook his hand, it had done things to her. She'd never experienced anything like that before, that kind of spark. And his face. There was no denying that the man was beautiful. Those blue eye had held her. It was like the first time she'd seen him, they had a connection and they both knew it. 

Caroline felt like she was betraying her body by leaving him sitting there on that bench. But she couldn't allow herself to stop and turn back. As much as she felt a connection with that man, there was a part of her that felt he was dangerous. It was too strange that she had seen him that day outside the liquor store. 

The police never caught the shooter, had suggested it was gang related. Tyler had been caught in the crossfire. He'd been shot by the victim who was trying to defend himself. It wasn't as though Caroline suspected him of being the shooter, but the coincidence was odd. And when she looked in his eyes, she saw something dark there, lingering just below the surface. She recognized it because she had some of that darkness in her too. 

Frustrated and confused, Caroline rejoined the reception. It was only 6:30 and it looked like everyone was on the dance floor and completely trashed. Well, almost everyone. Caroline headed straight for a table in the back, where Stefan was sitting on his own, looking painfully sober. It was a good thing everyone else had was so gone, or they might have noticed. 

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, knowing that he 100% wasn't. 

"No. I expected it to hurt, but I guess there's just no preparing yourself for something like this." Caroline nodded and took a seat beside him. 

"For what its worth, I'm sorry." Stefan offered her a weak smile. What could you do. Elena and Damon had been together since day one, and Stefan would never be the kind of man who told his brother's girlfriend that he was in love with her. Caroline sometimes wished he'd told her, just so he could move on, but he'd kept the secret close to his chest. Stefan had only told her by accident on a drunken night a couple of years back. 

"Don't worry about it, I'll be good as new before you know it. What's up with you though? You disappeared for a while there, and now you look off." Caroline grimaced. Why did he have to be so perceptive a friend?

"I just ran into someone I knew and I don't know how to feel about it." She admitted shifting her gaze to the people gyrating on the makeshift dance floor. She hesitated to ask him, but she'd never been one to keep things from her close friends, so Caroline turned back to Stefan. "Have you ever met a Klaus Mikaelson, or heard of him?" Stefan started, he clearly hadn't been expecting that. 

"I've heard of him, mostly that he's trouble. Apparently he runs a pretty shady family business. Why?" But Caroline wasn't sure how to explain him without also bringing up Tyler, and she didn't want to make a sad night for Stefan even worse. 

"I just met him today, and he gave some weird vibes," she fibbed. Stefan nodded, concern written all over his face. 

"Well I would stay away, he doesn't seem like good news."

That didn't bode well for her. Caroline had this habit of attracting guys that were no good for her and now she had gone and done it again. Except this time she felt drawn to the guy. It was out of the question of course. She was absolutely not interested in him. But she had the feeling that today would not be the last time she saw him. It made her nervous. And excited. 

"Care, don't worry. I'm sure you'll never see the guy again. Now come dance with me so they don't all figure me out," Stefan joked, halfheartedly. He took Caroline's hand and coaxed her onto the dance floor with him. She faked a smile and played along. At least the YMCA song could distract her from those blue eyes for a couple of minutes.


	3. Clumsy

Klaus hadn't gotten nearly as much as he'd wanted from the internet, but he'd gotten enough. He found her facebook immediately and found that Caroline seemed to maintain a very active online presence. She posted regularly enough that Klaus could almost glean her regular schedule. It was probably actually a little unsafe. What if a crazy person was stalking her?

Sunday brunches with her friends each week at a nearby grill, Friday night game nights, her favorite restaurants and stores all tagged. She was smiling in every single one of those photos. He liked that about her, she seemed to be happy despite everything. Klaus had never been a particularly happy person, and he thought maybe that was one of the reasons he gravitated to her. He wanted to be a happy person, it just didn't seem to be in the cards for him.

Shaking the thought from his head, Klaus began scrolling through Caroline's public information. It seemed she worked at Whitmore College as a Community Organizer, managing social and benefit events. Klaus pulled up the school website and found a massive list of past and future events, all with Caroline's named stamped neatly under them.

She even appeared on the bottom of the page with her name, email and work number. There was a tiny professional photo of Caroline in a blazer, with a fuzzy red backdrop. It made her pop. He resisted the urge to take advantage of the contact information. Klaus had a suspicion that she would not take kindly to being contacted by him just yet. But he wasn't above getting into contact with Caroline in other ways.

The upcoming events tab had a listing that caught his eye. Whitmore College was having their annual spring ball to thank all of the university donors. Only said donors and faculty were invited to the event, but Klaus would bet money that Caroline would be in attendance. That was more than enough reason for Klaus to be there as well. And maybe a little bit of good PR would help him get to know her better.

Without hesitation, he opened a new window and on his computer and logged into his bank account. Then he dialed the clearly displayed number, the ball seemed like an incentive to inspire further donation if he was being honest, that directed him to an alumni office. A soft spoken woman answered the phone.

"Hello, this is Amy with the Alumni Services office, how can I help you?" Klaus smiled into his phone and switched to his customer service voice.

"Hello, Amy, my name is Klaus Mikaelson and I'm interested in making a donation to the university."

"That's lovely!" she said, excited enough that he believed her. "I can help you out right here. Will this be a one time or recurring donation?" he heard her typing away on a computer between words.

"Just a one time, please. But I did have one question." Klaus spun in his chair, taking in the walls of his office. How was he just noticing how bare his office looked. He needed to put some paintings up, he thought absently. Maybe he would pick that up again. 

"Absolutely, fire away."

"I recently heard that there is going to be a ball next weekend for donors. Is there a donor threshold to be reached to receive an invitation?" The woman was silent for a moment. He must have surprised her.

"Well, all donors who have given more than $5,000 are traditionally invited to the event."

"Then I'd like to give $50,000, if that's agreeable." Silence again. Then she was back in motion with gusto, clearly flustered.

"Oh...Well certainly....That would be quite alright....Yes, um Klaus Mikaelson, it doesn't seem that your're in our system. What year did you graduate, if you don't mind my asking?" Klaus chuckled, it hadn't occurred to him that they might ask more questions after his offer.

"I didn't attend Whitmore," he said plainly.

"Oh, well that quite alright. And how would you like to make the donation?"

"Direct transfer. I can provide you my banking information when you're ready."

"Absolutely, just one moment. " He heard more frantic typing and a whispered conversation before she returned. "Alrighty, you can go ahead and read that out to me Mr. Mikaelson."

Klaus read her his account numbers and gave her his contact information as well. Amy instructed him to look out for several emails regarding the donation and the invitation to the fundraiser, and with several thank you's she hung up. Immediately, Klaus's phone and computer lit up with email notifications. Receipts, thank yous, and the only email he actually cared for.

The invitation was a document he had to download. When it opened, Klaus found that it was styled as though it was an expensive card stock invitation. The lettering was all in calligraphy and his name had been added in to personally address him. The event details took up the majority of the invitation, stating the time, place, and itinerary. He noted with pleasure that there would be an open bar.

And at the very bottom, the indication that it was a black tie event. Well that suited him just fine. Klaus felt his heart speed up just the slightest at the thought of Caroline in a ball gown. He'd never been in the hall where the event would be held, but he imagined her dressed in a flowing gown, walking down a dramatic staircase as she smiled at him.

Klaus saved the invitation onto his computer and shut it with a grin. He just had to wait until Saturday. He had been haunted by Caroline after their first meeting, and hadn't understood why. But their chance meeting that day made him certain that this was fate, or destiny, or whatever else one might call it. They were clearly meant to be together and he was not going to argue with that.

\-----

Caroline spent the next several days thinking about Klaus, and how incredibly odd it was to bump into him at the gardens. She entertained the thought of him following her, Stefan had confirmed that he was dangerous, but she brushed that off. He would have tracked her down sooner if he had been following her. She was sure of that.

But it was all so odd. The strange attraction she felt towards him, even though she could tell there was something off. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Caroline couldn't spare too much thought on the man though, because soon her week was swamped by plans of the upcoming spring ball. She'd found herself in charge of most of the planning operations, so her days were filled with flower arrangements, and purchasing liquor, and on Tuesday Morning, going over the guest list.

First thing, after Caroline had dropped her purse on her desk and began flipping through her mail, Caroline's boss, Bill, popped his head into her office. He had a small stack of papers in his hand and a guilty expression on his thin face that immediately made her nervous. The man knew Caroline was great at her job and he tended to take advantage of that on occasion. She pressed her lips together uneasily as he walked into her office.

"Good morning, Caroline. I hope all is well," he greeted her, taking a seat across from her desk. Caroline took her own seat and forced a smile.

"It is. What can I do for you Bill?" He offered her the stack of papers apologetically.

"There were a few last minute donors so the guest list was updated again," he explained. Caroline grimaced as she took them.

:"There should really be some sort of cutoff," she muttered, glancing over the list of names. It was ridiculous, they expected her to plan an event with the final number of guests constantly changing.

"I know, I know. There were just some particularly large donations, so we felt it was warranted. You wouldn't believe it but we even received 50k from one guy. He wasn't even an alumni." Caroline's eyebrows shot up in disbelieve as the men shook his balding head. "First name on the second page," he continued. She couldn't help but take a peek at the list.

Her heart stopped when she registered the name.

Bill, clearly unaware of how she had been affected, continued on. "He shocked the office, people have been talking about it all day. But I let them know that this is the final list, and there won't be any more updates." Caroline nodded at him numbly as he stood. "You don't need anything else from me today do you? I think I'm going to be taking the day, its the wife's birthday and she wanted to do something special." Bill looked at her expectantly, obviously eager to be gone.

Caroline, looked up at him, schooled her face and shook her head. "No, I think I have everything under control from here."

"Great, I knew I could count on you," He said, tapping her door frame on the way out.

Caroline sagged into her seat the moment he was gone, and glanced at the list once more to confirm that she had not imagined it. No, Klaus Mikaelson had indeed made an insane donation to the university and would apparently be attending the ball. She didn't know what to think. It couldn't be a coincidence, especially since he hadn't attended the university.

But Caroline couldn't imagine him spending that kind of money just to have an excuse to bump into her. It was ridiculous. Only a crazy person would do something like that. He had to have some other motivation for doing it. Caroline hardly knew the man though, how could she possibly guess his motivations. With a frustrated sigh, she turned to her desktop and opened a browser on her computer.

Caroline thought maybe the frustration was coming from the fact that she was a bit excited to see the man. There was no denying her strange attraction to him. Despite the concerning bit that Stefan had shared with her, Caroline still felt drawn to him. She found herself thinking about his eyes, and hair, and smile, at the least opportune moments. It was becoming annoying. She didn't know the man, had only seen him twice. It was juvenile. 

So maybe she could find out more by googling the crap out of him. Anything to make herself feel a little more at ease with her new found infatuation. When she typed in Klaus Makaelson, the first results were several articles regarding his business, and its dealings. Stefan was right when he described it as shady dealings. Procuring luxury goods for the rich and famous didn't exactly scream noble business. But Caroline only lingered on the details of their business, as she was soon distracted by photos.

She found several of a young, blonde woman, Rebekah, she assumed. But there were few of the rest of the family. She could find only one of all of the siblings together. A news article, covering the rise of the Mikealson's business seemed to catch all of the siblings at a party. The men, all dressed in suits, and Rebekah, in a stunning lilac gown. She didn't recognize two of the men, but she recognized Klaus. All of his siblings looked genuinely, truly, happy. They had glasses of champagne in their hands, the youngest of them had a twinkle in his eyes. But Klaus, he looked different. He looked triumphant, smug. It stirred something in her. He had a pride that she had recognized in herself. An ambition that wouldn't be ignored. 

She felt her heart pounding in her chest suddenly as she stared at him. A man she had only met twice was having an affect on her that she couldn't explain. But she wanted explanations. She wanted to dispel him from her mind or have him for herself. How was she to know which would be wiser? Caroline closed the window abruptly, and placed a hand on her chest, willing her heart to slow. This is nothing, she lied to herself. He would arrive at the gala, take a turn around the room, and leave without even crossing her path. She tried to will it into existence. If anyone could do that, it was her.

With determination, she once again picked up the guest list and noted all of the last minute additions. Only a few, she thought. She wouldn't have to make too many adjustments to her food and liquor orders. She reminded herself on a sticky note to call her vendors and promised herself she wouldn't think about Klaus at all until she absolutely had to. 

\-----

It was midnight when Elijah finally entered Klaus' office with any sort of good news. Klaus looked up bitterly at his brother from behind his desk. He'd been watching news cycles on the trafficking ring all night and it had soured his mood substantially since he'd arranged his invite to the gala. 15 women had been held at that one location and they were all in police custody. They had some men on the force in their pocket, but even he knew that this would be a difficult case to infiltrate. There was too much attention. Elijah confirmed that. 

"We can't get to any of them," Elijah began, in his measured tone that made Klaus want to throw something. So he did. His paperweight slammed against the bookshelf on his west wall and fell to the floor. Neither of them flinched, it wasn't exactly new behavior. 

"This is ridiculous. It shouldn't be this difficult for us to get the information we need." Klaus began shuffling the papers on his desk without any real purpose. 

"We can't get access to the women, but," Elijah continued. He came forward and leaned on the edge of desk, calmly adjusting his cuffs. "We wont need it. Sunday morning, we will be receiving a copy of all of their statements, curtesy of a friend in the station. Should that prove...dissatisfactory, we will be sending along a tip to the police chief about some dirty cops." Klaus felt a reluctant grin settle on his face. Elijah looked similarly smug. 

"Elijah, brother, every time I doubt you-"

"You're immediately proven wrong," he finished, grinning in earnest now. "When will you trust me?" he joked. 

"I trust only you," Klaus replied seriously. "And sometimes Rebekah." 

The brothers laughed at that as Klaus stood. His back ached from his odd position, but he was otherwise fine. Just incredibly tired. But knowing that they had a plan for getting to Silas made him feel somewhat better. Soon that madman would be off the streets, and Klaus would once again be able to conduct his business safely. It was all about family after all. He clapped Elijah on the shoulder as they headed for the exit. 

"Soon we'll be done with Silas and there will be nothing more to worry about." Elijah shot him a skeptical look. 

"With us, there will always be something to worry about. This week specifically, the Sanders." Klaus felt himself getting tense at the mention of them. They'd been having trouble with the family for some time, and it reaching a boiling point. 

"They've yet to pay their dues?" Klaus asked as he pushed the elevator button. He knew the answer of course but he still had to ask. Elijah responded with a terse shake of his head. 

"We could take care of it now," Klaus suggested. He glanced at his watch, it was only just past midnight. Arguably a great time for a kidnapping. 

"I'll call the car."

**Author's Note:**

> I love this ship so I wanted to create a little something that other people might enjoy too. Please tell me what you think!


End file.
